Netflix’s Hit 8-Part Psychological Thriller Miniseries Is Almost Perfect

Netflix’s latest horror miniseries, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, delivered some extremely strong storytelling in many ways. From Rachel’s overwhelming feeling of dread leading up to her and Nicky’s wedding, to his oddly eerie family, the show’s horror was built into its characters and setting, permeating the entire series in a way that was truly scary without being overdone.

At the same time, the show balanced out its ominous tone with fun, lifelike characters who continued to reveal new sides of themselves as the story went on. Rachel had an endearing, grounded personality, trusting her gut while still being sympathetic to the people around her. Her relationship with Nicky seemed strong and worth fighting for, no matter how unsettling things got around them.

The show’s plot was just as unique as its characters. New elements of the story came from every direction, keeping viewers on their toes as the source of the show’s horror continued to shift. While Nicky’s family first appeared to be the problem, the reveal of Victoria’s terminal brain tumor elevated Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen from pure horror into something complex and character-driven.

Meanwhile, the “Sorry Man” that drove much of the Cunninghams’ early, off-putting behavior proved to be the perfect way to intrinsically link the Cunningham family to the marriage curse that plagued Rachel’s own bloodline.

All told, the Duffer Brothers’ first post-Stranger Things executive producing project was doing everything right. Yet, as many fans complained about Stranger Things 5, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen didn’t quite stick the landing.

Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen Got Greedy With Its Ending

By its penultimate episode, the show had put all of its lore out into the open: thanks to a centuries-old family curse, Rachel must marry her soulmate by sundown on her wedding night. If she marries someone who isn’t her true soulmate, she will die like her mother and many before her. If she doesn’t go through with a wedding at all, the curse will instead be passed to Nicky and his entire bloodline.

Any one of these outcomes could have given Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen a solid ending, and its finale, “I Do,” at first seemed to have chosen the most satisfying option.

When Nicky became the one to bow out of the ceremony, a completely new side of his character emerged. He suddenly seemed weak and incapable of existing outside another person’s shadow, be it his mother or Rachel. This wasn’t lost on Rachel, who allowed the sun to set without completing the ceremony, causing half of the insisted-upon hundred guests to drop dead.

This should have been the end. The chaos that ensued at the reception offered a satisfying payoff, proving that the wedding’s large guest list served a bigger purpose than merely being a stressor for Rachel. It also gave a darkly happy ending to Jules and Nell, two of the show’s most compelling characters who were, it turns out, soulmates.

Then, in the hopes of saving his family, Nicky slipped the ring onto Rachel’s finger and completed the ceremony before Rachel could do anything to stop it. It was, of course, too late, and they were, of course, not soulmates. Rachel died like many of the other guests. After that, she was revived as the new eternal Witness.

This felt like three simultaneous endings that diluted each of their individual significances. It was impossible not to root for Rachel, especially after Nicky showed his true colors, and it deflated the moment to see her hard-earned agency taken away so quickly. By this point, both Rachel and the audience already knew that they weren’t soulmates, giving this moment no real question to answer.

Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen Is All About Marriage, But I Still Don’t Know Where It Stands

Netflix

When Nicky completed their wedding ceremony, Rachel said, “We both have the f****** curse now. Getting married is only gonna kill us.” Given everything the show had explained thus far, this seemed like the only possible outcome, yet Nicky didn’t die when Rachel did, and it was never explained why.

This seemed like a statement about what exactly makes someone your soulmate, but it’s unclear what that statement is. In fact, for a show driven by the concept of soulmates, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen never took a concrete stance on what it means for two people to be soulmates in this world.

By the time their union was finalized, Rachel was certain that Nicky wasn’t her soulmate, but Nicky’s belief in their compatibility wasn’t genuine either. It was simply a futile attempt to save his family, underscored by the moment he turned to Jules and said, “You said it would work.” Meanwhile, Jules and Nell both seemed surprised that they were soulmates, implying that it was about more than mere belief.

With that in mind, Nicky and his father’s survival seemed to suggest that a soulmate connection could be non-reciprocal, but there was no time to explore the idea. The newly-immortal Rachel’s final words of wisdom to the young Jude were, “You have to be really, really, really careful who you choose to marry,” but careful of what and how to discern it was never explained.

With its compelling characters and refreshingly twisty plot, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen would have been an instant classic had it fully committed to Rachel either getting or not getting married, and made a meaningful commentary about love in the process.

Release Date

2026 – 2026-00-00

Network

Netflix

Showrunner

Haley Z. Boston

Cast

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  Adam DiMarco

  Nicky Cunningham

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  Camila Morrone

  Rachel Harkin

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